Bang Bang Chicken
In the dark winter months, it is easy to relax in to comfort food for each meal, heavy jumpers providing warmth, and hiding the 'other' winter layers underneath.
So is it possible to combine comfort food with something a little healthier? Bang Bang Chicken is an attempt. I first came across this as a starter in The Ivy. It's a little like a satay chicken without the punch, and the freshness of the salad ingredients provide an antidote to the rich warming stews of the season.
This recipe is adapted from one found in Olive Magazine.
Chicken thighs have a lot more flavour than the breast as they work a lot harder. The meat will also not dry out.
Trim the fat from the thighs and put in a pan, cover with the coconut milk and fish sauce, bring to the boil and simmer. It won't look good at this point. You can freeze the leftover liquid to use as a base for curries.
Boil or steam the green beans. You want to retain some crunch and texture, so when they are perfect plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking.
Always taste a bit of your chilli before adding to any recipe, it's the only way to tell if you have a hot or mild one. This sauce can take a bit of a kick as it is served cold, so don't be frightened to pep it up!
Cut the cucumber in half, spoon out the seeds so the dish doesn't go watery, and cut into batons about the same size as the beans.
Shred the chicken, spring onions and chilli and get ready to assemble.
Pile everything in layers on a big serving dish, generously spooning the sauce as you go. Pile it high and see if there are any leftovers.
Bang Bang Chicken
6 skinless chicken thigh fillet
400g tinned coconut milk
300g trimmed green beans
125g crunchy peanut butter
4 spring onions shredded
Half a cucumber
2 red chillies
1 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
Sesame seeds to serve
